March 13, 2016 โ NEW BEDFORD โ Major maintenance and repairs are in store this spring for the three proud Azorean whaleboats built in New Bedford between 1997 and 2000.
To pay the $23,000 estimated cost, the Azorean Maritime Heritage Society is hosting two fundraisers โ one on Tuesday at Estoril in Fall River, and the other on May 21 at the Sails of Portugal Wine and Food Tasting at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
One of the three boats, the Bela Vista, now rests on the ground floor of the Whaling Museumโs new education center, in a still unfinished space.
It still looks glorious in its wildly festive pink, blue and yellow paint, colors that donโt signify anything beyond fun and excitement in the Azorean culture.
But as Sara Quintal, society president, pointed out to a visitor, the 40-foot whaleboat suffers many maladies as the result of heavy use and uneven and sometimes harsh storage conditions.
The wetting and drying of the hull โhas caused the planks to shrink,โ she said. That leaves gaps and so โthis boat leaks like a sieve,โ she said.
Repair surveys and estimates have been done on the boats, and it seems as if almost every part and every piece will need replacement or repair to get them into shape for the next Azorean regatta, set for 2017.